Anti-Bullying Laws

Bullying is causing a public health crisis in schools: exposure to bullying behaviors causes lasting impacts on the health of victims, bystanders, and even the bullies themselves. While suicide is the gravest consequence of bullying, other negative physical and psychological effects have also been noted, such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep issues, digestive problems, and headaches.

In order to prevent bullying in schools, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to address the issue.

The map below identifies the variations in the different laws, including whether cyberbullying is included in the state’s definition of bullying, where the law applies, which laws offer civil immunity for individuals reporting bullying incidents, and whether the laws identify a protected class of students. Read more.